


what remains of stars

by lastbattlecry



Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Ghost Hardcase, Ghosts, I Promise it Ends Happy, M/M, Post-Umbara Arc (Star Wars), does it count as major character death if he's not technically dead, sith planets
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2020-12-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:08:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28094403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lastbattlecry/pseuds/lastbattlecry
Summary: “What are you so afraid of? You're already dead.""Yeah, but I'm notstupid."
Relationships: CT-27-5555 | ARC-5555 | Fives/Hardcase
Comments: 19
Kudos: 39





	what remains of stars

**Author's Note:**

  * For [blackkat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackkat/gifts).



Fives shivered in the cold wind, hands cupped around his mouth in an attempt to keep them warm. It was times like these that he missed his blacks, with their temperature control and body regulation. Then a snowflake landed on his nose, and he remembered why he enjoyed this ill-gotten freedom.

“ _ C’mon _ , Fives, you’ve been standing there for an hour already, we have to move.”

He turned and gave his whining annoyance a mild look. “We haven’t even been on  _ planet _ for an hour, cool your jets.”

Hardcase gave Fives a frustrated look, the edges of his form going hazy for a moment before he came back into focus. Fives’ heart was in his throat, the sound of it loud in his ears. It was happening more often, the moments when Hardcase went indistinct. It was terrifying when it happened, that  _ this _ might be the last moment Fives has with his-

Whatever they even were.

A man who owned nothing, not even himself.

And the ghost of a soldier so loyal, that he stayed even after he died.

What a pair they made.

“Yeah, let’s go,” Fives muttered, starting down the darkened street. “You know where to go?”

Hardcase followed behind Fives, his footsteps making no sound, or leaving a mark on the snow starting to pile up around them. “Yeah. He tried to take everything from me, but I stole something  _ back _ .”

Fives blew out a heavy breath, steam clouding in front of his face. “Right.”

It was cold, and dark, and yet here he was. A deserter, a traitor, and following the ghost of his dead brother to literal hell.

Oh well. It could be worse.

...he couldn’t think of what could be worse, but he’s sure there’s  _ something _ that was.

He caught a glimpse of the way Hardcase just phased through a low wall like it wasn’t even there and grimaced. There was at least one thing he could think of.

“What’re we looking for, Case?”

“An entrance. It’s close, it- I can  _ feel _ it,” Hardcase said, shivering. Fives knew it wasn’t from the cold.

“So what would it look like?”

“Death,” came the instant response, an echo of something else in Hardcase’s voice. “Nothing. A void, a space between spaces.”

“....that is very informative, thanks.”

Hardcase was suddenly in front of Fives, less than an inch from his face, and Fives yelped, stumbling back, feet slipping on the slick snow. “ _ Mind yourself _ .”

And then he was gone, leaving Fives with nothing but the creeping chill and the silent whispers of the wind curling in his ears.

“Oooookay…,” Fives whispered to himself, standing slowly. “Hardcase?”

There wasn’t an answer, and Fives felt like a pit had opened under his feet. He hasn’t been truly alone since before he could even  _ remember _ .

And now he was on some ancient Sith planet in the Outer Rim with no backup, no one knows where he is, and actively looking for the Boogey Man’s lair.

It was times like these that made him miss Echo the most, his partner, his other half, his first love.

Echo would’ve known what to do, he always had a plan. Would’ve forced Fives to  _ think _ at least a little bit before he decided to follow his imaginary friend straight into the rancor pit, abandoning the war and their  _ brothers _ .

...Fives  _ missed _ Echo.

Who even  _ was _ Fives without Echo? They were the Torrent twins, where one went, the other followed, together, always.

Now Fives was the last man standing.

The last domino to fall.

Fives blinked back tears, dashing a hand across his eyes, and tried to remember what General Kenobi said about the Dark Side.

_ “Master Yoda likes to say that the Dark is difficult to see, but I’ve found that it’s easy to  _ find _ the Dark,” the General said softly, pensively, with the heavy weight of experience in his words. “It’s when you invite it in that you can no longer see what it’s become.” _

_ “Sir, what does that mean, ‘inviting it in’?” Echo asked, enraptured. _

_ Kenobi turned toward them, eyes dark, reflecting the fire light in a way that made them burn. “The Dark is  _ hungry _ , offering you whatever you want, and then taking everything. It starts slow. Pleasurable even. And then it takes and it takes and it  _ takes _.” _

_ “Sounds like you have some experience with that, sir,” Fives had said, because he lacked the primary filter between his brain and mouth. _

_ Beard quirking in a bitter smile that had sent guilt churning low in Fives’ gut, Kenobi gave this answer. “Why do you think I still fight, Fives?” _

_ “Sir, I-” _

_ “It feeds off of your emotions,” the General interrupted. “Off of your anger, your fear. Even your grief.” _

_ “So… how can you fight that?” _

_ “You don’t. You can only  _ survive  _ it.” _

_ Fives sometimes forgot that the Generals were able to feel something he couldn’t, experienced things he never would. _

_ It was in moments like that when he was brutally reminded of that fact. Compared to what’s out there, death is a kindness. _

_ "Don't listen to the whispers, gentlemen. They  _ lie _." _

Fives huffed out a breath, starting forward again. Maybe death wasn’t a kindness anymore.

He was careful as he made his way through the crumbling ruins of what was once probably a great city of the Sith, wishing he still had his armor, and a brother at his back.

But he gave that all up to save the Republic, to save the Jedi, and to save his brothers.

Well.

The ones that were left, anyway.

He shook himself, bringing his focus back.

The Dark will use his grief and rage against him. So, think happy thoughts, that’ll work.

“A bit hard to think happy thoughts when you’re alone,” Fives sing-songed to himself, looking for a ‘space between space’, whatever the hell that meant. The wind was his only reply.

* * *

  
  


Hardcase shivered, even though he didn’t have a  _ body _ anymore, and carefully opened his eyes, curled in on himself like he was bracing for a blow. It was always hit or miss where (or  _ when _ ) he ended up after, what he guessed was the  _ kriffing Force _ , holy shit, decided he had enough time with Fives, and yeeted him somewhere else. Usually it was a series of endless black walkways, dotted with stars, that lead to Doorways.

Capital D Doorway, because each one led to a different planet, a different moment, a different  _ time _ .

Hardcase was known for being impulsive, even he knows he is. But he’s not stupid. He can feel the  _ power _ coming off of those openings, older than he can even imagine, and can feel that that power was….

Not nice. It didn’t want him there.

And that was fine! He didn’t want to be there either!

But this time he wasn’t surrounded in a sea of stars and Doors.

This time, he was in a small dark space, even though he couldn’t see anything. He felt small and alone and  _ scared _ , he hated when he was sent to the Box, it was cold and cramped and couldn’t  _ feel _ anything but  _ dark. _

He uncurled from his defensive ball, pushing back against the walls of his little prison, testing the edges just like every other time he’s been dropped in here. But unlike all those other times, something  _ gave _ .

He went tumbling out of his little space, and the crushing weight of  _ nothing _ crashed over him, it was heavy, it was  _ crushing him _ , nononononono-

There was  _ nothing _ and  _ everything _ and Hardcase couldn’t breathe, pressure in his head in mind his soul  _ he couldn’t breathe it was  _ inside  _ him _ -

And then it was gone, leaving Hardcase alone and empty and the shattered screams of silence ringing in his ears.

  
  
  


Eventually, Hardcase managed to get up, coiled tight around himself, flinching every time he felt something vast and  _ other _ brushing past him. He could see vague shapes that weren’t actually there, colors that weren’t colors, sounds that vibrated through him and left him trembling.

He didn’t know what had happened, pretty sure that he didn’t  _ want _ to know, and he still didn’t know where he was. Or how to get back to Fives.

Hardcase made his way tentatively through the strange place, trying to be as small as possible, knowing deep inside that if he caught the attention of those  _ things _ lurking just out there-

Well.

It probably wouldn’t end well for him.

Not that much seemed to end well for him, as he’s currently  _ dead _ .

And being dead wasn’t  _ so _ bad, he supposed. He got to see all the planets, the stars no one else has seen, his brothers.

He hadn’t been around the Littles when he was alive, wasn’t allowed. First by the longnecks, and then by his  _ vode _ . He was too loud, too disruptive, wasn’t  _ enough _ , and yet.

And yet.

He could watch over them now. He’s heard them calling him  _ Cabur _ , guardian,  _ protector _ . That’s what Hardcase was meant to be. That’s his  _ purpose _ . It’s what he’s been bred for.

They couldn’t all see him, and he couldn’t always interact with the things around him. But he could do little things.

He’s found that if he’s loud enough, they can all hear him.

Hardcase is  _ good _ at being loud.

A rumbling sound he didn’t even have the words to describe came from far off in the nothing, and he flinched small again.

But maybe not right now.

Right now seemed like a good time to try and  _ not _ get eaten.

Can a person die if they’re already dead? Hardcase  _ really _ didn’t want to find out. Dying hurt the first time. He doesn’t want to find out if it hurts as much the second time.

He’s been here a while. He’s pretty sure anyway.

Time was weird for Hardcase on the best of days when he was alive and had access to a chrono. Being dead and in this-this  _ limbo hell _ just threw everything off.

It could be only a few hours. It could be days.

He doesn’t like to think about the time he came back and half of Torrent was gone  _ again _ just like when that  _ demogolka _ -

Hardcase shook himself, and began to make his way down the Paths, choosing at random.

Skywalker was a strong and powerful Jedi.

It  _ had _ to be enough. Hardcase didn’t know what to do if it wasn’t.

* * *

  
  


Fives wandered the ruined landscape for hours, long enough that what light managed to get through the heavy cloud line was now gone, and the wind picked up, making visibility nonexistent as snow swirled around him in violent gusts.

Fives has probably been in worse situations, not that he could think of any, but sure, he definitely has. Totally.

He stumbled, tripping over some unseen obstacle, and ate shit  _ hard _ , yelping as snow went up his coat.

“Karking son of a-!”

“You kiss your momma with that mouth?”

Fives’ head snapped up and relief nearly made him fall on his ass again. “Hardcase!”

Hardcase stood grinning down at Fives, as solid as he could be, the blue of his tattoos glowing brightly in the dark. “Miss me?”

Fives scrambled up, trying to keep his feet under him, and he reached out to Hardcase, barely remembering that he can’t actually  _ touch _ him. He rocked on his feet, smiling with cheeks numbed from the cold. “You bastard, where have you  _ been _ ?”

Hardcase made a face, shadows playing through him as he flickered. “Inbetween.”

Fives paused, head tilted, mind turning that phrase over. “Like the ‘space between space’?”

“ _ Oh _ ,” Hardcase said, like it was a revelation, his eyes going wide. 

“Is that a good ‘oh’ or a bad one?”

“C’mon, I know where to go!” And Hardcase’s form seemed to burn away the chill that creeped into Fives’ bones, the weight Fives didn’t even know was there lifting off his shoulders. “C’mon, Fives, just a little further, I promise, just a little further.”

Right, he could do that. Just a little further.

Fives struggled as the storm began to pick up, thunder growling it’s fury over head. The warnings General Kenobi gave him ringing in his ears. Planets like this will do everything they can to stop him.

Add in a  _ living _ Sith Lord, and Fives is willing to bet that the storm is going to be the least of his worries soon. He knows the stories told about the ancient Sith, and the Civil War that happened in the Old Republic.

The Empire that spanned the galaxy. Fives didn’t want to find out what monsters lurked in the dark.

He staggered through the deep snow, losing feeling in his legs, but still marching on. He lost sight of Hardcase, the chill coming back as he struggled to find his way, lips cracking in the cold.

Hardcase had disappeared, travelling too quickly for Fives to be able to keep up, and a vicious  _ crack _ of lightning had him shouting in fear, the air burning around him as he tasted ozone in the back of his throat.

Ears ringing, Fives ran, heart thudding in his chest.  _ The storm is trying to kill me _ , came his hysterical thought.  _ The  _ storm _ is trying to  _ kill me.

“Fives!”

Hardcase blurred next to him, nearly swallowed by the screaming wind and snow. Fives was nearly thrown off his feet, slamming through a rusted doorway and skidding across loose stones and ice.

“Fives, you’re almost-  _ Down! _ ”

He dropped at the roar, familiar and trusted, one he’s heard a million and one times before on the battlefield, conditioned to obey even in the heat of the moment.

The world went white with noise, and Fives is almost positive that he blacked out from the crushing pressure. Black spots danced across his vision as he scrambled across the ground,  _ away _ from the heat he could feel behind him. Smoke burned his nose, and he coughed, eyes and nose streaming.

Sith lightning, Fives had learned, wasn’t like normal lightning. It was malevolent and wrathful, with a mind of its own, cruel and deadly. He’s never been hit with it, but he’s seen the aftermath.

He didn’t know that it could come from a storm.

“Move!” Hardcase shouted, barely heard through the crackling sound in Fives’ ears, but he moved, following the warmth he knew was Hardcase.

His vision cleared enough that he could see, not that the dim lighting of whatever building he’s in allowed him to see further than a few feet in front of him, and he stumbled over rubble, turning his ankle on a loose stone. “Case-Case, where-”

“I’m right here, c’mon just a little further, the entrance is  _ right here! _ ”

Fives slammed through a panel of rotting wood and yelped as he went tumbling down a steep slope, ass over bucket. He could do nothing but close his eyes and curl in on himself, protect his head and wait for impact at the bottom.

He hit the end of his roll with a sharp stab of pain in his shoulder as it dislocated, and he shouted as he went sprawling across the ground, struggling to breathe.

Eyes slowly opening, still wheezing, he blinked up into the worried gaze of Hardcase, trying to take stock of what he broke.

Shoulder dislocated, twisted ankle, feels like he cracked his ribs  _ at least _ , but he could move all of his limbs, and he counts that as mission ready.

“Fives?” Hardcase asked, voice trembling with fear. It twisted in his chest, and he struggled upright

  
  


Just a little further…

“Hardcase?”

A little more…

“Where are you?”

The storm kicked up into a howl, the wind slamming him against a crumbling wall, and what little breath he had rushed out of him in a choked wheeze. “Case, Case please, where-”, he started coughing, the air biting into his lungs.

He couldn’t- where- “ _ Case _ …”

Light blazed across his vision and Hardcase was kneeling in front of him, eyes bright and worried. “Get up! We’re close, just a little further, Fives, you can do it. On your feet, soldier!”

Fives wheezed and clawed his way up, heavy pressure trying to push him back down. But he had an order.

And good soldiers follow orders.

He followed the sound of Hardcase’s voice, barely about to hear him over the roar of the storm battering him. The snow blew in his face, wind grabbing at his clothes, his hair. He couldn’t feel his body anymore, didn’t know how long he’s been fighting the storm.

He didn’t know how much longer he could go on.

Warmth and light spilled across his face, and Fives turned his head to look at Hardcase, his lashes frozen together. His mouth was moving, but Fives couldn’t hear him anymore.

“‘M cold, Case,” he slurred, slowing down. He could rest for a little while right? He’s earned it, for trying so hard, it’d be alright…

**Author's Note:**

> ...I'm sorry


End file.
